Golden Honey Sourdough Loaf
The Bread I Was Searching For
Cooking has been a passion of mine since early adulthood, but baking brought me a quiet peace I hadn’t known before. There is something about sourdough specifically that feels grounding. The mixing, the waiting, the folding, and that first whiff of bread rising in the oven create a rhythm that slows me down and steadies me. Sourdough is an art that takes patience, and I’ve only come to understand it through trial, error, and a lot of practice.
For the longest time, I felt torn between two kinds of bread. I loved the rustic, hearty loaves of traditional sourdough, but I also missed the soft, fluffy sandwich bread I grew up with. I wanted both in one loaf, something tender and cloudlike inside but with that satisfying sourdough crackle on the outside. A bread that could be sliced easily for sandwiches and toast, yet still carried depth and character. After more than 30 rounds of experimenting, tweaking hydration, adjusting proofing, and testing flour blends, I finally landed on the recipe that felt just right. Now, this Golden Honey Sourdough is the loaf my family eats week after week, the one we always come back to.
Why Golden Wheat
The difference lies in the golden wheat flour. Unlike regular whole wheat, which can sometimes feel heavy or a little bitter, golden wheat adds a gentle sweetness and soft nuttiness. It deepens the flavor without weighing the loaf down. Paired with bread flour, it gives structure while keeping the crumb pillowy and light. The golden hue it bakes into makes the bread as beautiful as it is delicious.
A Family Staple
When I first began developing this recipe, my goal was simple. I wanted a sourdough loaf that could stand proud on the dinner table yet also work for everyday sandwiches. Most sourdoughs lean rustic with chewy crusts, tangy flavor, and big open crumbs. They have their place, but they are not always practical for a peanut butter and jelly or a BLT. I wanted something softer, more versatile, but still true to sourdough. After more than 30 rounds of experimenting, I found the balance. By keeping hydration at 70 percent, using golden wheat for softness, adding powdered butter for richness, and honey for tenderness and caramelization, I created a dough that lives comfortably between rustic and refined. Now this is the loaf I bake every week. Sometimes it’s shaped into a boule or batard and baked in a Dutch oven for a dramatic ear and blistered crust. Other times it goes into a sandwich pan, rising into a soft, square-topped bread perfect for slicing. Either way, it never lasts long in our house.
The Rhythm of the Process
The process begins with the autolyse: flour and warm water are mixed and left to rest. It feels like nothing is happening, but during that time the flour hydrates and gluten begins to form. After thirty to forty five minutes, the dough already feels smoother and easier to work with. Mixing comes next. The starter, honey, powdered butter, and salt are added with cooler water to balance the temperature. Suddenly the dough shifts from shaggy to elastic, strong enough to stretch thin without tearing. Bulk fermentation follows. You fold, you wait, you fold again. Slowly the dough swells with air, bubbles rise to the surface, and the texture becomes glossy. A gentle jiggle makes the bowl wobble like jelly. After bulk comes shaping and resting. The dough is preshaped, left to relax, then tightened into its final form. It goes into a banneton for an overnight proof in the fridge. This slow rise deepens the flavor, makes scoring easier, and gives flexibility to bake the next day.
The bake itself always feels like a bit of theater. The Dutch oven preheats, the dough is set on parchment, scored with a confident slash, and covered. Twenty minutes later the lid comes off, a thermometer slides in, and the bake finishes until the loaf reaches 205 to 210 degrees. The crust turns golden, the ear lifts, and the whole kitchen fills with the smell of fresh bread. Cooling is the hardest part. The loaf needs at least an hour on a rack so the crumb can set and steam can release. Cut too soon and the structure collapses. But with patience, you are rewarded with a loaf that slices cleanly, stays fluffy for days, and makes sandwiches that feel like something special.
Why This Loaf Works
This bread works because of balance. Bread flour and golden wheat bring structure and softness. Powdered butter and honey add tenderness and flavor without weighing it down. The process is approachable enough for beginners but offers enough nuance for seasoned bakers. The loaf itself is flexible, equally at home as a rustic round or in a sandwich pan.
Final Thoughts
This Golden Honey Sourdough has become the heartbeat of my kitchen. It is the bread my kids ask for when they want sandwiches, the one I serve warm with salted butter, the one I bake again and again because it always delivers. After over 30 attempts, it feels like a bread I earned through persistence and care. It is beautiful and practical, rustic yet soft, simple but full of character. I hope it becomes a staple in your home the way it has in mine.
Golden Honey Sourdough
Golden Honey Sourdough is a soft yet crisp sourdough loaf made with a blend of bread flour and golden wheat flour, enriched with honey and powdered butter for a tender, golden crumb. With a fluffy texture that works beautifully for sandwiches and toast, and a crisp crust that makes every slice irresistible, this 70% hydration sourdough is approachable for beginners and rewarding for seasoned bakers. After over 30 trials, this recipe has become our family’s go-to loaf, versatile enough for rustic boules or sandwich loaves, flavorful enough to enjoy on its own.
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the bread flour and golden wheat flour with 300 g of warm water (about 90°F). Stir until no dry bits remain; the dough will look shaggy. Cover and let rest for 30–45 minutes. This rest hydrates the flour and kickstarts gluten development, making the dough easier to handle.
- Add the starter, powdered butter, honey, and about half of the reserved room temperature (≤80°F) water. Mix until incorporated. Sprinkle in the salt and add the rest of the water to dissolve it.
- Gluten Development: (By hand) Knead or use the slap-and-fold method for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. (By mixer) Mix 2–3 minutes on low, then 3–5 minutes on medium-low until the dough pulls away from the bowl. Look for: A dough that feels elastic and stretches thin for 2–3 inches before tearing (the “short windowpane test”).
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled container, cover, and let ferment at room temperature (76–78°F) for 3½–5 hours.
- For the first 2 hours, perform stretch and folds every 30 minutes. With wet hands, lift one side of the dough, stretch it gently upward, and fold it into the center. Rotate and repeat on all four sides. This strengthens the dough without kneading. Bulk is done when: Dough has risen about 40–60%, the top looks slightly domed, small bubbles are visible at the edges, and the dough jiggles like jelly when shaken.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, smooth side down. Using a bench scraper, tuck the edges under to form a loose round. Rest uncovered for 20 minutes until relaxed and slightly spread.
- Shape into a boule or batard, creating tension without tearing. Place seam-side up in a rice-flour-dusted banneton if you plan to score, or seam-side down for a natural crack. Cover lightly.
- Refrigerate for 12–24 hours. Cold proofing slows fermentation, develops flavor, and makes scoring easier. By bake time, the dough should feel firm and may show small blisters.
- Place a Dutch oven with lid in the oven and a sheet pan on the rack below it (this prevents burnt bottoms). Preheat to 475°F for at least 45 minutes. When ready to bake:
- Invert dough onto parchment paper.
- Brush off excess flour.
- Score with a sharp blade, about ¼ inch deep.
- Lower the dough into the Dutch oven using the parchment as a sling.
- Bake covered at 475°F for 20 minutes. Remove the lid, insert a thermometer into the center, and continue baking until the loaf reaches 205–210°F internal temperature (about 15–25 minutes more).
- Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour. Cutting too soon releases steam and makes the crumb gummy.
Notes
- Use 90°F water for autolyse, but switch to cooler (≤80°F) water when adding starter and salt to avoid overheating the dough.
- Autolyse is your friend — it reduces mixing effort and improves both texture and flavor.
- Watch the signs during bulk fermentation, not the clock. Volume increase, bubbles, and jiggle matter more than time.
- Cold proofing (overnight or up to 24 hours) deepens flavor and gives you flexibility in baking schedule.
- Always use parchment for easy transfer and to avoid sticking.
- A sheet pan under your Dutch oven keeps the bottom from scorching.
- Bake until the loaf reaches 205–210°F inside — that’s your foolproof signal it’s ready.
- This same dough bakes beautifully in a sandwich loaf pan, giving you a softer crust and tall slices perfect for everyday use.
